Why is it the Pioneer BDP-23fd gets no love, but the Oppo and PS3 get mad RESPECT!

[Blove23]

It has been my experience in reading threads that everyone discusses the Oppo and the PS3, but the Pioneer BDP-23fd is never thrown into the mix. Why is there no love for the Pioneer Elites?

I can barely find any reviews on the Pioneer Elite BDP-23fd?

I would like to know what the people are feeling and why the Pioneer gets no love and I don't want to hear about load times. I want to hear about quality, everyone talks about Pioneer Elite televisions and AV receivers, but the Blu's are getting no RESPECT!

Show me some feedback good or bad, I appreciate your opinion!

[underoath]

Originally Posted by Blove23

It has been my experience in reading threads that everyone discusses the Oppo and the PS3, but the Pioneer BDP-23fd is never thrown into the mix. Why is there no love for the Pioneer Elites?

I can barely find any reviews on the Pioneer Elite BDP-23fd?

I would like to know what the people are feeling and why the Pioneer gets no love and I don't want to hear about load times. I want to hear about quality, everyone talks about Pioneer Elite televisions and AV receivers, but the Blu's are getting no RESPECT!

Show me some feedback good or bad, I appreciate your opinion!

ps3 is obvious....it was the cheapest blu-ray player when the format was released...as well it is often regarded as the fastest loading player, features as a playstation game console, and many companies refer to it as its reference player (i.e. criterion)

oppo because it was huge back in the days of dvd's prominence...people just go with what they know...oppo has been good to people in the past...as well the 83 does play sacd's over hdmi

[PRO-630HD]

It's predeccesor the 05 which I own was severly overhyped in it's capabilities. It has been very problematic as well. The 23 is beyond slow in loading and not the best at menu navigation. The video and sound are top notch, but in reality the 05 did Pioneer more harm than good.

[cembros]

Originally Posted by PRO-630HD

It's predeccesor the 05 which I own was severly overhyped in it's capabilities. It has been very problematic as well. The 23 is beyond slow in loading and not the best at menu navigation. The video and sound are top notch, but in reality the 05 did Pioneer more harm than good.

that is not true at all, with the current firmware the load times are extremely fast, not as fastr as the ps3 but close. The menue navigation is just as good as the ps3.

[ManUtd]

Originally Posted by PRO-630HD

It's predeccesor the 05 which I own was severly overhyped in it's capabilities. It has been very problematic as well. The 23 is beyond slow in loading and not the best at menu navigation. The video and sound are top notch, but in reality the 05 did Pioneer more harm than good.

I thought the 23 had improved on the loading times of the 05?

[ManUtd]

Originally Posted by cembros

that is not true at all, with the current firmware the load times are extremely fast, not as fastr as the ps3 but close. The menue navigation is just as good as the ps3.

Have you experienced any problems with your 23fd?

[sokrman14]

A lot of people want features, which the Pioneer doesnt have. I love the Pioneer for performance, but everyone on this site is about value. The Oppo will give you the best picture quality, especially for the price. It gets rated in video with the $4000 Denon bluray player. The PS3 has so many things it can do, that for the price it is highly regarded. If I am looking at just a player and nothing else and looking for very good performance, that Elite is near the top of my list. I think if you look at value of performance, it matches up with a lot. Again in AQ and PQ, I feel it outperforms the PS3, maybe not the Oppo though.

[ManUtd]

Originally Posted by sokrman14

A lot of people want features, which the Pioneer doesnt have. I love the Pioneer for performance, but everyone on this site is about value. The Oppo will give you the best picture quality, especially for the price. It gets rated in video with the $4000 Denon bluray player. The PS3 has so many things it can do, that for the price it is highly regarded. If I am looking at just a player and nothing else and looking for very good performance, that Elite is near the top of my list. I think if you look at value of performance, it matches up with a lot. Again in AQ and PQ, I feel it outperforms the PS3, maybe not the Oppo though.

I am one of those. Is the video of the Oppo that much better than the 23fd?

[sokrman14]

Originally Posted by ManUtd

I am one of those. Is the video of the Oppo that much better than the 23fd?

On video nothing has surpassed it yet, as I said it is being rated to the Denon reference model. The audio is lacking if you are using analog outputs, however if you are using HDMI, there should be no difference, as long as you have a good receiver or pre/pro. If you are comparing analog audio on the Oppo to the Denon, the Denon blows it away. Now for the audio between the Oppo and the Pioneer, again HDMI shouldnt be any difference, but I would be the audio on the Pioneer via analog would best it, because of the DAC's which are pretty good. I am not sure what DAC's the Oppo is using, but I havent heard they are anything spectacular. So short story: Audio=Pioneer Video=Oppo in my opinion.

[sokrman14]

On a different topic, you can purchase the Oppo for $500, and send it to upgrade company, and they will enhance the audio to meet or exceed that of the Denon, for $1000. $1500 total with the player and upgrade. Basically the same quality player as the Denon for less than half the price. That should only be necessary if the Analog audio is important to you. The HDMI quality, because its digital, should make no difference. That is where the quality of your Pre/pro or receiver DAC's come into play.

[cembros]

For bd playback the oppo is no better than the pio. Upcomversion, the oppo takes the edge. As far as features the oppo does play sacd and DVD-a which the pio does not. The pio does stream music through the HMG which is a really awesome feature. Pqls is another great feature if you have a compatable pio amp. For analogue audio I def give the edge to the pio with the wolfsen dacs and burr brown dacs for 2 ch. The pio is a top notch player

[Blove23]

Originally Posted by cembros

that is not true at all, with the current firmware the load times are extremely fast, not as fastr as the ps3 but close. The menue navigation is just as good as the ps3.

This is why I mess with you!

[Blove23]

Originally Posted by manutd

have you experienced any problems with your 23fd?

no

[Blove23]

I truly appreciate the responses, but keep it going! I need more love for the Pioneer because, Pioneer wa founded on sound!!

[sokrman14]

I wouldnt worry about it. Pioneer makes quality products, and what matters the most is whether you like it or not. Spread the word on how good it is and people will start buying it. Plus...you bought a player that costs more than $200-300 dollars and/or doesnt include a gaming system. Can you see the trend that people are buying? Cheap/inexpensive (whichever doesnt offend those reading) or has a video game system included. But some few buy based on what they want and what they feel works best, which is what you have done and I commend you for that.

[Halcro 1]

The Pio 09 is the best PQ/AQ And I own the Oppo ....Dident really want to spend an extra 1000 bux... SACD isnt that big of a deal to me , but glad the oppo has it.... I already have a Hi-End CDP

[gtmorgan23]

I have the pioneer 320 and it has worked flawlessly, I have not one negative complaint at this time.

[BaronVH]

While load times are not lightning fast on java heavy titles, it ain't bad. My 23 has no problems with the menu navigation. Two channel sound on CDs is completely amazing. I can't imagine any player being better. I also cannot imagine any player's upconversion of DVDs to be better. I say this is an exceptional BD player. I have not even upgraded the firmware since I bought it, which was in May.

[EWL5]

Originally Posted by PRO-630HD

It's predeccesor the 05 which I own was severly overhyped in it's capabilities. It has been very problematic as well. The 23 is beyond slow in loading and not the best at menu navigation. The video and sound are top notch, but in reality the 05 did Pioneer more harm than good.

Who can forget the DTS-HD MA firmware debacle for the 05/51 owners? Denon 3800 and PS3 owners were enjoying MA decoding ~ a year ahead of Pioneer owners. Even Chris Walker's best efforts at Pioneer were not enough to stop the bleeding. My dream was to have a full Elite system in the living room and all I was missing was the BD player. Unfortunately, no Pioneer BD player has been "worthy" compared to what I have now.

[EWL5]

Originally Posted by sokrman14

On video nothing has surpassed it yet, as I said it is being rated to the Denon reference model. The audio is lacking if you are using analog outputs, however if you are using HDMI, there should be no difference, as long as you have a good receiver or pre/pro. If you are comparing analog audio on the Oppo to the Denon, the Denon blows it away. Now for the audio between the Oppo and the Pioneer, again HDMI shouldnt be any difference, but I would be the audio on the Pioneer via analog would best it, because of the DAC's which are pretty good. I am not sure what DAC's the Oppo is using, but I havent heard they are anything spectacular. So short story: Audio=Pioneer Video=Oppo in my opinion.

The Oppo BDP-83 actually uses two different sets of DAC's (Cirrus CS4398 for two-channel and Cirrus CS4382A for multi-channel analog output). These have been used in high end audio gear. Only problem is that DAC's don't tell the whole story. The path and power supply to those DAC's are not exactly high end. The Oppo could use some upsampling capability (like Denon's Advanced AL24) but doesn't have it.

Among my gear, the Oppo's CD playback is merely "ok."